Man Sentenced For Abusing Boy Online

24 September 2013, 15:14 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A man from Reddish who used a pseudonym online and sent sexual messages to a teenage boy has been sentenced.

Michael  Lacey of Avril Close, Reddish pleaded guilty today at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to a inciting a boy to engage in sexual activity.

The 26 year old was sentenced to a three-year community order and three-year supervision order.

He has also been issued a Sexual Offender's Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offender's Register for five years.

He targeted a 15 year old boy who started receiving messages on Facebook from someone he thought was a friend of a friend.

Lacey then started to send increasingly explicit messages to the teenager on his Blackberry

Eventually the boy told one of his teachers who called the police.

Detective Sergeant Graham Lynn said: "This campaign of abuse included often lewd and disgusting messages which distressed the victim.

"Thankfully, the boy did the right thing and spoke to someone."